Zaid is 17 years old. He’s studying health and social care in college and wants to be a paramedic, social worker or counsellor. He likes listening to rock music and cooking, especially baking.
We asked Zaid to tell us about a day in his future that he wants to happen. He chose his first day as a paramedic at a hospital.
‘I’d like to go to New York and work as a paramedic’Zaid
My dream day is …
My first shift as a paramedic. I’ve been in so many ambulances, I can just imagine being there on that day and helping other people.
I wake up in …
My bedroom and I’m feeling nervous because I get nervous quite quickly. I get up early because I’m an early person.
To get myself ready for the big day …
I have a shower, brush my teeth and do my hair. I can see my uniform on the hanger so I get dressed. I feel proud of myself and happy when I put my uniform on and think of my family and friends. If I hadn’t had their support I don’t think I’d be here.
I make sure I’m wearing my Apple watch. I always have it on as I got it for my 16th birthday from my mum so it’s quite special. I’ve got New York wallpaper because I want to go there. This is one of my dreams. I’d like to go to New York and work as a paramedic.
To get to the hospital I …
Get the bus. I’ll have different feelings running through my mind. I’ll arrive and see the hospital sign. I’ll walk into A&E and there’s lots of noise. I’ve got an image in my head of someone crying and me walking up to them and asking if they’re alright. If someone doesn’t look like they’re in the right frame of mind, I’ll go up to them and ask if they’re ok and if they need some comforting or help.
My ideal first morning would be …
Introducing myself to my colleague. I’ll say how nervous I am and try to get some advice. We’ll create a bond, like the bond I’ve seen in the paramedics that came to help me. I saw that they joked around and had fun, which is a good thing, even though the job is serious. And the way they created a bond with the patient in the ambulance to take their mind off things. Then I’d love to go out on the road and help someone.
I’ll be thinking about …
The pros and cons of becoming a paramedic, especially for someone who has epilepsy. So, for example, I want to go to university but one of the things that can trigger my epilepsy is stress. When I was looking at universities my stress levels were going sky high so I stopped looking. I listen to music when I’m not feeling my normal self. I listen to all sorts but mostly rock. I like James Arthur and Calum Scott. One of the other things I’ll be thinking about is my seizures. Right now, I can’t risk going to cinemas for example, because of the possibility of flashing lights that could trigger a seizure. Fingers crossed that by my first day as a paramedic they’re under control as I need to have three years of being seizure free to get a driving license, which I know I’ll need.
At the end of the day I …
Call my mum or my granddad as I think I’ll need to let my emotions out. They are the people I can do this with. If it’s a hectic day then it’ll be a very long conversation.
Before I go to bed I …
Cook. I really like making desserts, especially cakes. My granddad likes my banana cake. He says I’m a very good cook, the best in the family, and that I’m a very caring person and I put my heart into it. I also think about the patients who needed help that I would have had to put my emotions aside and focus on that person.
The day means so much to me because …
When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy I was 11 and didn’t know what it was. But it makes me a unique person. I’ve had to overcome a lot. I have complex seizures and chronic epileptic fits and used to hate taking capsules when I was first given medication. Then in 2015 when I was in year 7, I was given the wrong medication and I had a severe allergic reaction. It meant I was in hospital for over a year. A nurse said they couldn’t give me medication in liquid form because it had too much sugar and because I was on steroids, it wasn’t good for my health. So she used Tic Tacs and taught me how to take them and pretend they were pills. Right now, I have support from Young Epilepsy and with this, I think young people can go a long way. I’m sharing my story so other young people can see that no barriers have to come in the way of their dreams. I can just imagine myself on my first shift as a paramedic and it would be amazing and a success.
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